The characters were the real highlight of this book - I couldn't help but fall in love with Jane and her determination to help others, I can't wait to share these characters with a class!

This story is an easy read, and incorporates a number of key themes including found family, resilience, injustice, friendship, and perhaps most importantly, the value of doing the right thing even under the wrong circumstances.

The characters are beautifully drawn, and very relatable. For starters, Jane is a delight, with her absolute determination to return a precious lost thing to the person who has lost it.

Her friends Rodney and Timothy also come alive for readers, with their distinctive quirks, and their rock-solid loyalty to their friend - even if they do think that she's misguided!

This works well as a middle grade book, and also offers something quite unique in its dystopian setting, which provides a useful warning to young readers about humanity's use and abuse of this planet, our common home.

Her decision to return the precious object to its owner is not the only tough choice that Jane faces in the course of her adventure, but the dignity and grace with which she meets those challenges are impressive. And most importantly, she is never entirely alone in dealing with the challenges and obstacles in her path.

This was fantastic! Despite being fairly short I felt fully immersed. The worldbuilding was done really well and the characters were decent. I tend not to like multi-pov but this time it flowed nicely and it suited the story.

I want to know more about this world and its systems!

Welcome to your new favorite middle grade book! I absolutely loved the whole concept of this book, the setting, characters, and the plot just captured my attention so well. I was drawn in by this bright and beautiful cover and found that the contents reflected it perfectly. This was such a nice quick read to warm my heart and I'm so glad to have read it

*Thank you to NetGalley and Blueberry Finch for the ARC of this book. It did not influence my opinion in any way.

This was a lovely story, perfect for students in grades 4-6. It contained excellent lessons and themes that are appropriate and interesting for students of this age. From love & loss to environmental issues to friendship and trust, this book has a lesson for every reader. Teachers and parents should note that there are scenes dealing with loss of loved ones and destruction by fire that could be triggering to some children dealing with trauma. Overall, I would recommend this to my students! Thank you to @NetGalley, author Jon Tilton, and the publisher for this advance copy!

I thoroughly enjoyed this Middle Grade read and definitely recommend it. Especially if you like adventure and heart, diverse characters, robots and secrets. Jane is a great lead character, with bravery and determination. The writing is so good - so descriptive, easy to read and easy to visualize what's happening in the story. Prepare for a riveting quest!

2.5 stars rounded up to 3. The essence of the story was good but I felt I did not really get to know the characters very well. They could have been fleshed out more. I probably would have DNF'd but I wanted to know about the metal men.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book in return for my honest review.
This middle grade novel starts out on an island made entirely of trash. And every day more trash arrives. Jane, Rodney and Timothy live on this island and it is HOME. They don't have much and each day they dodge the rebel robots to scavenge through the dirty junk to find anything to eat or add to their shelters. One day in the midst of all the debris Jane finds a practically new, clean doll with a tag attached requesting to be returned to its owner. Jane knows that this doll is special and that it must be returned to the neighboring island. Someone is missing this treasure. The only problem is that there is no way to get to the Lands of Luxury. The trash comes into the island but nothing ever goes off the island.
Jane is determined to find a way past the robots and onto the trash barge. With the help of her best friends can she return the doll and experience life in a new place? No spoiling the fun!
Jane, Rodney and Timothy are the best of friends and this is a great adventure about what you call home, and what is a family. Part of a new series.

The children adored this book. It is about bravery and doing the right thing, regardless of the risks and challenges. It brought about a great deal of conversations about waste and climate change. Definitely one to read.

This was a fun middle-grade chapter book! The story was exciting and fast-paced, and it for sure will keep the little readers interested and will keep those pages turning.
Adventure in an island of trash – that alone would make an exciting read! There are also really well-written characters with various relationships. I think the best way to describe this book would be to say that it is REALLY NICE. Lovely, loving, and nice. Super nice.

Wow, this was such a fun book filled with adventure and sweet characters . The book was so well written and would be a great read for all ages- young and old. There were so many sweet moments in this story that brought a smile to my face. Everyone needs a story like this one to brighten up their day :)


Thank you to NetGalley and Blueberry Finch for an ecopy of this book.

Jane and her friends live on an island of trash. This island is patrolled by evil life crushing robots waiting to kill, but Jane loves her life regardless of all this. She and her friends Rodney and Timothy, scavenge for treasures in the garage piles daily. Jane discovers a doll with a return name and address on it. She knows she must return this doll to its owner, Gloria Thatcher. Sounds simple enough, but no one has left the island before. This doesn't stop Jane. She embarks on a wild and adventurous journey to the Land of Luxury. While she is there she uncovers many foggy memories from her past.

This is an extraordinary novel! I was hooked from the first page. The Jane, Rodney and Timothy capture your heart on so many levels. This novel deals with hardships and the importance of having your friends and family that support you. I am incredibly hopeful that Jon Tilton will write a sequel!! I must know what comes next in the life of Jane and her friends. I gave this book a 4.5/5.

Jane and her friends live on an island that functions as the city's dump and is filled with trash. They've done the best they can, made burrows in the trash, learned a system to survive, but most kids are orphans and their life is bleak.
One day, Jane finds a pristine doll with a tag saying to
"please return..." and she embarks on a mission to do so.
Filed with adventure and bravery, Jane's journey is anything but easy.
Found family is one of my all time favorite tropes and this story does it beautifully. Jane is sweet and enthusiastic about life, hopeful and loving. The story is filled with lessons on friendship too, and I loved the chapters told from the point of view of Jane's two friends.
I highly recommend this book! I loved it from start to finish.

‘For some, giving up is the easiest way out of a problem—but that doesn’t solve anything.’
This debut novel is told through several povs and has themes of found family and environmental issues. It’s a dystopian story that takes place on an island of trash which some people call home, living in burrows and surviving on whatever food others have thrown away. When Jane, the main character, finds a doll with a ‘Please Return to…’ tag on it, she is determined to reunite the owner with her lost toy. But that means trying to find a way to the Lands of Luxury, putting her own life in danger.
This is an important story and I highly recommend it for anyone over the age of 8. In our ‘throw-away’ society it’s vital we treat our environment and each other with care and respect.
Thanks NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read and ARC for this book. It had an interesting premise and I found the characters interesting.

"But maybe some wear is worth keeping. It shows our journey - everything we experienced to this very moment. And it's worth remembering, even the parts that were hard."

I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley.

3,5 ⭐

Please Return to the Land of Luxury is a debut middle-grade fantasy novel by Jon Tilton. The book focuses on 3 children (Jane and her friends Rodney and Timothy) who live on an island filled with trash. The island is not just a gigantic junkyard for the Land of Luxury, but it is simultaneously our protagonists' home and jail - for the island is guarded by robots who are preventing any chance of escape.

The story and the protagonists' adventure begin when the children find a doll in a heap of trash. The doll's excellent condition and the tag "Please return to Gloria Tatcher" attached to it, set it apart from the rest of the items that usually end up in the junkyard. Jane's desire to return the toy to the rightful owner kickstarts this fun, fast-paced page-turning adventure.

The central themes that the book explores are the bonds of friendship and (found) family. In addition, it also focuses on environmental themes, class issues and inequality. The story and the characters are interesting, and I believe the intended audience will quickly connect and relate to them.

However, the complexity of the themes that the author chose to cover clashed with the book's brisk pace and its length; or to be more precise its shortness. The space for character development is minimal and because of it, many characters feel underdeveloped. The shortness also affected the story and exploration of some of the main themes of the book. In a few instances, there were sudden cuts or endings of action(s), only for everything to be quickly resolved or wrapped up in the next paragraph or chapter.

If the book had an extra 50 pages, the issues I mentioned above, could have been sorted. The characters would have had more space to develop and grow, and the plot wouldn't have sudden cuts or rapid resolutions in a paragraph. Nevertheless, Please Return to the Land of Luxury was an enjoyable read that will encourage discussion about the themes the book chose to focus on. I would recommend this book not just to a middle-grade audience (for which the book is intended), but also to everyone who likes (or needs) a faster-paced middle-grade read.

I absolutely loved everything about this story. The dystopian setting in a world of excess was reflective of the world we live in presently

I love how Jane went above and beyond to return that which was lost only to be found herself in the process. Others found bravery in the midst of fear, and forgiveness when trust was stolen.

The story ended on a happy ending with room for there to potentially have a sequel.

This was such a sweet and touching story.

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy through Netgalley.

Join Jane, a resident of the trash island, on a treacherous journey through sinister robots and garbage scavenging in her pursuit of returning an unexpected treasure - a doll in excellent condition with a tag that reads "Please return to Gloria Thatcher." Despite the island being her only home and the robots guarding the Docks preventing anyone from leaving, Jane is determined to deliver the doll to its rightful owner.

As Jane sets out on her adventure to the Lands of Luxury, accompanied by her friends Rodney and Timothy, she will face many challenges and uncover the secrets of her past. Through this thrilling adventure, readers will discover the importance of hardship, the beauty of sharing stories, and the significance of friends and family as life's greatest treasure.

***

An inspiring book that is perfect for kids and adults alike! Despite being aimed at a younger audience, this book tackles complex themes such as grief, loss, and healing. It also explores the power of friendship, as Jane forms a strong bond with two other young kids. The characters are all touching and relatable, with big hearts and brave personalities.

Reading this story is a refreshing and uplifting experience. It made me realize how incredibly privileged we are to be in the positions we are in. I only wish I could have read a story like this one when I was younger and struggling with grief.

Overall, "Please Return To The Land of Luxury" is a quick, easy, and cute book that is filled with bravery, love, and important life lessons. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a heartwarming and inspiring read.

Read this if you like:

- heartwarming and inspiring theme
- character growth - healing and moving forward
- a reminder of the power of friendship and love

Thank you Jon for gifting this advance copy! Happy Pub day!

If you are looking for a quick, easy, and cute book to read, filled with braveness and love, this one is the one to get for the kids around you (or even for you).
As I read this cute book, I realized how incredibly privileged we are to be in these positions, (for me to write this and for you dear reader, to read this).
We follow Jane, a young girl that finds herself having to go on an adventure by herself to give back a doll she found. Throughout her trip, she gets to connect more with herself and also with what is around her.
This book is ranged at a younger public but it tackles topics like dealing with grief, missing the people you lost, and simply finding a way to heal yourself. It also discusses friendship, with the strong bond between Jane and two other young kids. The characters are all very touching with big hearts and brave personalities.
Following this story was refreshing and I wished I could have read a story like this one when my young self had to face grief. #PleaseReturntotheLandsofLuxury #NetGalley

favorite quote of the book:
“I’m sure we’ll have plenty of new things. But maybe some wear is worth keeping. It shows our journey, everything we experience to this moment. And it’s worth remembering, even the parts that were hard.”

Please Return to the Lands of Luxury is an exciting tale that highlights the importance of family, friendships, and the trust between those relationships! Middle-grade readers will delight in this action-packed tale about three friends, Jane, Timothy and Rodney. When Jane discovers a doll while scouring the landfill with her friends, she notices it's not like any other doll she's found before. This one is well-taken care of and it has writing on it!

Despite protests from Timothy and Rodney, Jane is bound and determined to return the doll to its little girl. Even if it means risking her own life....

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I really loved the uniqueness of the world that Tilton has built within this book. The reader is introduced to so many different lands that feel similar to countries we see today, but still somehow different enough that I didn't feel like I was reading about our world. I also felt so connected and hopeful for the characters. Tilton did a great job with both the younger and older characters.

Based on topics covered and the length of the book, I would highly recommend this one for ages 9-12. They're going to love it!